Having breakfast at Tiffany’s, the famous jewelry and more store in New York’s 5th Ave, is free… well, kind of… it is indeed free to stand in front of the store and pretend to be Audrey Hepburn in the popular movie, with coffee and pastry in hand… you will need to buy the coffee and the pastry, which can be pretty inexpensive in a city like New York.
But having your breakfast at Tiffany’s is not the only ‘free’ thing to do in one of the most expensive cities in the United States and the world.
Here are a few ideas for you to enjoy somewhat free things in the Big Apple:
Picnic in Central Park
Go to a grocery store or even a Starbucks or one of the many coffee houses in the city and buy a few items for either breakfast – if you didn’t have it at Tiffany’s that is – lunch or even an early evening snack. After picking the perfect spot in the Park (there are many!), put your blanket down and sit to enjoy your food and the view! Some of our favorite spots in Central Park are:
- Alice in Wonderland statue and Conservatory water
- Balcony Bridge (near the West Drive)
- Azalea Pond
- Belvedere Castle
- Bethesda Terrace & Fountain
- Loeb Boathouse
- Bridge #24
- Carousel
These of course are only a few of the many beautiful places in Central Park where you can sit down and enjoy the view and people watch.
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
Nothing says New York like the beautiful and breathtaking Brooklyn Bridge and to walk from the city to Brooklyn is totally free! So wear your comfortable shoes and get your camera ready and start walking! You will see a lot of tourists and regular NY and Brooklyn folks going for a jog, run or even a bicycle stroll, and all taking in the impressive views of both cities that include the Empire State Building in one side and the Statue of Liberty in the other.
Once you cross the bridge to the other side, be sure to walk over to the Brooklyn Bridge Park where you can do a lot more than take more pictures of the amazing skyline of NYC. You can go to the Pier 1 and if you do, you must have an ice cream cone at the Fulton Ferry Landing in the Blue Marble Ice Cream shop. There are plenty of activities around the park – that has several piers (right now only Pier 1, 5 and 6 are currently open). You can have another picnic at Main Street; go to the doggie park if you are vacationing with Fido and even fish, kayak or rowboat. As we said, plenty of things to do by just walking, and for free.
Enjoy The High Line
Even though it opened a few years ago, not many people know that this free jewel exists in the city. I have been to New York many times and it wasn’t until late last year that I was able to go and know what it was about. The High Line is a public park that was built on an historic freight rail line that it is elevated above the streets of the West Side.
We entered the park via the entrance near the Meatpacking District. But it actually runs from the Gansevoort Street (in the Meatpacking District) to the W 34th street, 10th and 11th Avenues.
The park is full of art lovers, modern hippies creating art and again, more people watchers… and more amazing views. If you are lucky and are in the park around sunset, you can get a wonderful view of the Empire State Building lighted by the afternoon sun, perfect for pictures.
One of the most popular places in the park to have a picnic, get some sun or just to simply admire and get some rest is the 23rd Street Lawn. However, due to its popularity, it needs to be maintained and restored quite often. So if you are in New York, be sure to check with the front desk at your hotel to know if it is opened or closed. You can also go to their blog and get the latest news on the park – including the Lawn: www.thehighline.org/blog.
People watch at Times Square
And last but not least, more people watching! And the best location in the world has to be Times Square in NYC. Sit down for a coffee and just relax and watch… musicians, actors, tourists, everyone! It is the center of the city after all!
You see, there’s a lot to do in New York and not everything has a entrance fee. So next time while in the city, go and enjoy some of the ‘free’ things that it offers. After all, they say that the best things in life are for free!